PALANA Parades into Heart of Campus Multicultural Center Adjusts to Carr Hall

Author: Ian Fleishman

The relocation of the Pan-African-Latino-Asian-Native American (PALANA) Center from Fletcher House on South Street to the more central placement in Carr Hall has been met with mixed feelings by students and administrators, who have already begun to live and work in the new location.

The increased visibility of this multicultural center at the heart of campus is essential, according to Associate Provost for Institutional Diversity Roman Graf. When discussing the layout of the campus, he emphasized that "this house should be the center."

Graf and his colleagues are also excited about having their offices located in the same building as the PALANA Center because it allows the programming and living aspects of intercultural activities on campus to be combined.

The decision to relocate and combine the PALANA Center and the Office for Institutional Diversity was made last year. The new building will allow increased space for the Office of Institutional Diversity and will house new faculty offices and a smart classroom and a lounge in addition to the residential area.

However, not all of aspects of the move have been met with universal support. When first approached with the idea, the students' initial reaction was in strong opposition to the move, said PALANA Center Residential Assistant Athenia Fischer '04. The Center's former location in Fletcher House - which is on the periphery of campus - made it "a place where people could retreat to." She said she feels that students are not sure that the new location will offer them this feeling of a safe haven.

According to Graf, PALANA had trouble filling beds in past years, so making the move to the smaller Carr Hall seemed logical. However, as the number of beds decreased, PALANA received more applicants to live there during this academic year. Fischer attributes this change to the increased publicity for the House as a result of the relocation, as well as the greater number of singles available at the new site.

There is also significant student concern regarding the unfinished state of renovation in Carr Hall. The rooms that housed Parton Health Center in years past are far from being completely renovated, and the Office of Public Safety is still located in Carr Hall's basement for the time being.

"Regular college life cannot go on for the most part," said Fischer. "It doesn't feel like a house yet- we do not have any place to do any activities."

The renovation was delayed because of preparations to relocate the Health Center to Centeno House. Other renovations also need to be made to Carr Hall, including the installation of an elevator. "It is an inconvenience that it's not ready," agreed Jessa Karki, assistant in academic administration.

Karki pointed out, however, that the Office for Institutional Diversity was aware that construction would not be finished before they moved into the space, it is workable, and that when finished, "it will be beautiful."

When students agreed to move the PALANA Center into Carr Hall, they were under the impression that it would be ready for them, and it was not until the end of the academic year that it became clear there would still alterations needed. Fischer stated: "For the students that are here this year it's making it a difficult situation."

Another potential concern about the new location is the effect it may have on programming that often embraces the greater Middlebury community.

Senior Advisor for Institutional Diversity Leroy Nesbitt '82 mentioned that the new location and lack of available parking could potentially isolate the Center from the community more than in the past.

The PALANA Center traditionally sponsors activities that include members of the community, especially children.

Nesbitt stated that the community outreach "did benefit from the old location," but insisted that this "outreach is driven by the character of the building and its activities."

Only anticipating intensified programming in the new location, the Office of Institutional Diversity is not terribly concerned by the possibility of reduced community involvement. But Nesbitt admitted that the office may have to be more active in welcoming the community to certain events than before.